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In this issue...
- Bunny of the Month
- March Hoppy Hour
- Basic Bunny and Guinea Pig Care Classes
- Rabbits, Rabbits Everywhere!
- Tips on Handling Your Rabbit
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Guinea Pig of the Month
Big Joe is a new arrival who is already winning hearts. As his name implies, Joe is a large piggy who is perfect for cuddling! Not only is he a sweet boy, Joe also boasts an amazing coat with the most beautiful copper coloring. This wonderful guy is sure to make a great addition to some lucky loving home.
Click below to find out who the Bunny of the Month is!
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Hoppy Hour and Pignic
Did you know that our registration/waiver form is available online? Print it out before you come to save time at Hoppy Hour and Pignic registration! You can fill out out a Rabbit or Guinea Pig form before coming (we'll have forms available at the registration table if you forget):
Starting in 2019, our Hopy Hour and Pignic are on Sundays. This month's is Sunday March 24 from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM. So bring your fuzzy friend and give them an opportunity to socialize with other rabbits and guinea pigs! Socialization is a very important part of overall rabbit and guinea pig welfare, and a Hoppy Hour is the perfect opportunity to let your fuzzy one play with others.
We'll be at the Humane Society Lawn, at 5399 Overpass Rd, Santa Barbara, CA 93111. Admission is $10 per rabbit or guinea pig. All animals must be healthy and rabbits must have been spayed or neutered at least 30 days in advance.
Please join us for an afternoon of fun!
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Basic Bunny and Guinea Pig Class
Note: Basic Bunny and Guinea Pig Classes are now on Sundays.
Our next class is Sunday March 10. Join us on our Facebook event page to learn more!
| 1:00 to 2:00 |
- Handling and Husbandry |
| 2:00 to 2:30 |
- Training |
Bring your Rabbit or Guinea Pig. Learn easy handling and care-taking during the first hour, then for the last half hour play training games that are fun for you and your pet!
$5.00 for an individual
$10.00 for a family
Free to BUNS volunteers
All classes are in the Humane Society Education Building, at 5399 Overpass Rd, Goleta, (to the east of the Animal Shelter)
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Rabbits, Rabbits Everywhere!
As spring approaches, we find our shelter awash with an amazing array of rabbits - all highly adoptable andadorable, but we are currently at full capacity! A recent influx of babies has added to our bounty, and as cute as they all are, we have a real need to find loving forever homes for our furry wards. Now may be the perfect time to consider a new friend - one who can bring love, joy and bunny kisses into your home. The health benefits of pet ownership are well documented, and the sheer joy these creatures can bring us is really reward enough!
Already blessed with rabbit ownership? Single bunnies may welcome the addition of a new bunny friend! Contact us about the process of finding a companion for your bunny. And speaking of friends - if you know of someone who might benefit from meeting and adopting one of our rabbits, please consider introducing them to us. Our knowledgeable and enthusiastic volunteers will work with them to find their perfect pal!
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Tips on Handling Your Rabbit
Rabbits are wonderful companions. They warm something deep within us that is tender and loving. A creature this cuddly seems like it would be easy to pick up and hold, but that's rarely the case. Rabbits, like any prey animal, tend to be fearful. Having a creature, you, who is forty times bigger, try to physically manipulate them triggers that fear, in the extreme. They can express that fear by kicking and even biting. That can result in injury to you and them. Fortunately, there are ways to handle rabbits that minimize that stress and make it safer and easier.
Here's some good tips from from an excellent article on the appropriate handling of pet rabbits:
- If a rabbit must be held, it should be held firmly and gently as hesitant restraint promotes struggling which can cause injury.
- A rabbit should be lifted gently and securely, one hand should be across the shoulder blades, fingers gently supporting the chest of the rabbit whilst the other is under the rabbit's bottom, taking the bulk of the weight.
- The body should be supported and the back feet controlled with one arm while the opposite hand supports the chest between the front legs.
- A rabbit should be ‘scruffed’ [picked up by the skin behind the neck] only when unavoidable.
Final note: A rabbit positioned on its back with its head lower than the rest of its body will typically become very still and seemingly easy to handle. This is called trancing a rabbit. While is appears as though the rabbit is relaxed, studies have clearly shown that the rabbit is highly stressed. It's behavior is a last ditch attempt to play dead in hopes that the predator, you, will lose interest. Never trance a rabbit unless it is absolutely essential to do so (i.e., to perform a veterinary procedure).
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